In 1985, a group of British record producers held an informal meeting to swap advice and information about their working lives. For many, the meeting was enlightening because it was the first opportunity they had had to discuss their professional roles with people who undertook the same basic tasks. The meeting ended with one conclusion - producers needed a representative body to give them a strong, unified voice within the industry so that they could express their views and concerns.

The British Record Producers Guild was established to meet this need and quickly attracted membership from many of the UK's top record producers. As it grew it took responsibility for alerting the music industry to a wide range of technical and business issues and provided a forum for discussion with other representatives of the music industry.

There were practical benefits, too. With the Guild's help many producers collected additional income from overseas earnings, while others benefited from the advice the Guild gave on issues such as archiving on DAT and rescuing damaged vintage master tapes.

By 1992, the British Record Producers Guild recognised the need to move with the times and include other audio producers and engineers who shared the same skills but didn't necessarily make records. After a period of internal re-structuring, the Guild changed its name to 'Re-Pro - The Guild of Recording Producers, Directors and Engineers' - a move which gave it new impetus and the ability to face the future from a position of strength. By including audio producers from the realms of film, TV and radio, the Guild has been able to amass an impressive range of experience and respond to a much wider range of needs.

Re-Pro celebrated its tenth anniversary as an industry organisation that is truly representative of the multimedia business in which we all work. Although its membership base has broadened, its primary aim remains the same: to focus attention on the value of the producer and to ensure that the contribution producers, sound directors and engineers make to the recording process is recognised and properly rewarded.

Over the past ten years, the Guild has done much to promote the interests of its members and as we move towards the 21st century it will continue to use its voice to ensure a safe, rewarding and creative future for everyone it represents.